Michael is a MSc Computer Science student from Manchester Metropolitan University. He secured a Industrial Placement as a Research Software Engineer at the University of Manchester through Bright Network. 
First, we’d love for you to tell us a little bit about yourself.
"I’ve always been passionate about technology and problem-solving, which naturally shaped my career path. Growing up, I was fascinated by how things worked, and I initially wanted to be an engineer. Over time, I realized that software development and technology offered endless possibilities for innovation.
I decided to attend university to deepen my understanding of computer science and gain the skills needed to make a meaningful impact.
My motivation for entering the research and software engineering field comes from a desire to create solutions that drive progress, especially in research and scientific discovery."
What motivated you to apply for your role?
“I was motivated to apply for the role because it perfectly combined my passion for software development with the opportunity to contribute to meaningful research.
The University of Manchester stood out to me because of its reputation for cutting-edge research and innovation. The chance to collaborate with researchers, develop software solutions, and directly support scientific progress was incredibly appealing.”
What was the application process like?
"The application process was thorough and required careful preparation. I had to showcase both my technical skills and my ability to collaborate with research teams. One of the more challenging parts was tailoring my experience to fit the specific needs of the role, especially highlighting my work with research-driven projects.
What surprised me most was the focus on teamwork and communication, in addition to technical expertise. It reinforced the idea that working in research IT is not just about coding, but also about collaborating effectively with others to achieve research goals."
How did you find your application journey?
"My application journey was both exciting and challenging. One of the key tasks was a take-home assignment where I had to modularize an API call into a reusable package using Golang. The goal was to ensure the API returned data in a human-readable format. This project allowed me to showcase my coding skills and ability to create efficient, reusable solutions.
In preparation, I focused on aligning my experience with the role, particularly highlighting my work in software development and research projects. I was most nervous about the technical assessments, but the feedback I received about emphasizing my collaboration and communication skills helped build my confidence."
What are you most proud of about your journey?
“I'm proud of how much I've grown by working on different technical projects, from building machine learning models to creating software that helps researchers. Each challenge has taught me new skills and improved my problem-solving ability.
One of the biggest challenges was keeping up with new technology while managing several projects simultaneously. Overcoming this took a lot of learning and staying organised. It feels great to overcome these hurdles and see the positive impact of my work.”
What have you learned from going through the process?
“I learned the importance of attention to detail and creating solutions that are both efficient and user-friendly. The technical challenge pushed me to think critically about how to structure code effectively. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the problem-solving aspect.
I also learned that being well-prepared for the technical challenges is key, and I wish I had known how much emphasis would be placed on code clarity and reusability from the start.”
What are your tips for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
"For those looking to follow a similar path, my biggest tip is to continuously build and refine your technical skills while staying curious about new technologies. Hands-on experience, like contributing to research projects or real-world applications, is invaluable. Don’t be afraid to take on complex challenges, as each one will help you grow.
If I could do something differently, I would focus earlier on balancing technical skills with communication and teamwork. These soft skills are just as important as the technical ones in roles like mine.
The best advice I received was to embrace continuous learning. Technology evolves rapidly, and staying adaptable is key.
As for resources, online courses, coding bootcamps, and platforms like GitHub have been incredibly helpful in advancing my knowledge and practical skills."
Tell us about the future. What’s next?
“In the near future, while I continue my work as a Research Software Engineer, I’m also excited to explore new areas like machine learning, financial technology, and algorithmic trading. Although I’m still focused on my current role, I’m gradually expanding my skill set in these fields, as they align with my long-term career interests.
While I may return to research software in the future, I’m looking forward to learning and growing in these new areas while still contributing to impactful research projects.”
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